Social-Emotional & Personal Development
Growing Up Is Part of the Curriculum
Children do not wake up in fifth grade knowing how to manage frustration, work through conflict, organize themselves, advocate respectfully, or keep going when something is hard. Those capacities develop over time, just like reading, writing, and mathematics.
At WHPS, we teach and practice these skills intentionally as children grow, with increasing independence as the goal.
We want children to understand themselves, care about others, and develop practical strategies for navigating school, friendships, challenges, and growing independence.
A Simplified Progression
What Can This Child Do Now? What Comes Next?
This is a simplified, parent-friendly view of a much more detailed teacher progression. Teachers use the full progression to see what a child can already do, identify what they are ready for next, and help shape individual goals.
Then comes the teaching: modeling, practice, feedback, and reflection. As children grow, they become increasingly involved in understanding their goals and sharing their progress with families, including during Student-Led Conferences.
The progression is the roadmap. Great teaching is what moves a child forward.
TK Through 5th Grade
See How the Skills Grow
Open any category to see the full simplified progression, grade by grade, with examples of what the skill can look like in everyday school life.
Problem-Solving & CooperationFrom expressing needs with adult guidance to independently using mature strategies, cooperating with others, and advocating respectfully.
TK
Starts to express needs and respond to peers with adult guidance.
Example: Asks a teacher to help when two children want the same toy; listens to a peer after a teacher prompt.
K
Uses simple strategies like taking turns with reminders; beginning independence.
Example: Suggests trading a crayon after being prompted; agrees to take turns when guided by a teacher.
1st
Handles minor peer issues using basic steps with growing independence.
Example: Agrees to share playground equipment without adult help; uses words to ask a peer for a turn instead of grabbing.
2nd
Uses compromise and “I” statements; resolves most conflicts with minimal help.
Example: Says, “I feel upset when you cut in line. Can we try again?” and resolves small disagreements with minimal teacher involvement.
3rd
Works collaboratively in groups, balancing fairness and personal needs.
Example: Helps classmates decide project roles so everyone participates; balances personal ideas with group needs.
4th
Applies taught conflict-resolution strategies and seeks help when appropriate.
Example: Mediates with a fair suggestion; asks for support when a group is stuck; recognizes rising emotions and requests a pause.
5th
Independently uses mature strategies, models cooperation, and advocates respectfully when peers or groups are stuck.
Example: Leads a group to divide tasks equally; advocates for clearer directions; takes a short break and then re-engages independently.
Respect & EmpathyFrom beginning awareness of others’ feelings to active listening, perspective-taking, repair, fairness, and balancing empathy with self-advocacy.
TK
Begins showing awareness of others’ feelings and perspectives with adult support.
Example: Notices when a peer is upset and looks to the teacher for guidance; offers comfort after prompting.
K
Shows emerging empathy by using kind words and responding to peers’ feelings with reminders.
Example: Says “Are you okay?” when a peer falls; shares materials when asked; comforts a sad friend.
1st
Begins to recognize and respond to others’ perspectives independently; shows simple acts of kindness more often without prompting.
Example: Offers supplies, invites a peer into a game, or makes room for someone who is left out.
2nd
Consistently shows kindness and respect; begins to anticipate peers’ needs in group settings.
Example: Welcomes a classmate into a project, adjusts behavior to help a nervous peer, or encourages a struggling partner.
3rd
Understands that words and actions can impact others; begins taking responsibility for those effects.
Example: Apologizes sincerely, makes amends, or reframes a comment after realizing it sounded unkind.
4th
Demonstrates consistent empathy and begins applying learned strategies to support peers and resolve differences.
Example: Uses active listening and “I” statements, encourages a classmate, or advocates for fairness.
5th
Shows empathy and respect even in challenging situations; independently balances conflict-resolution strategies, self-advocacy, and care for others.
Example: Summarizes another perspective, suggests fair compromises, validates feelings while expressing personal needs, and knows when adult help is appropriate.
Self-ControlFrom following routines with substantial support to recognizing frustration and independently using strategies to regulate, reset, and return to learning.
TK
Engages best in short, active tasks; beginning to practice following routines.
Example: Stays engaged with blocks but drifts during circle time; follows cleanup with strong teacher support.
K
Follows directions with structure; needs reinforcement but shows progress.
Example: Completes cleanup with step-by-step reminders and follows directions with structured support.
1st
Stays on task for longer and begins to pause before acting with reminders.
Example: Waits in line with reminders to stay calm; uses words instead of pushing when frustrated.
2nd
Shows more consistent impulse control; starting to regulate transitions independently.
Example: Raises a hand instead of blurting with occasional prompting; begins to stop and think before acting.
3rd
Uses class routines and simple strategies to stay regulated in groups.
Example: Follows transition routines with fewer reminders and controls the impulse to interrupt with cues.
4th
Recognizes when self-control is slipping; can request a break or reset and return to task.
Example: Recognizes when overwhelmed, advocates for a short break, and returns to the task.
5th
Maintains focus in varied settings and uses self-regulation strategies independently, including advocating for clarification or pacing.
Example: Double-checks work, asks for clarification instead of guessing, and uses a brief reset to manage frustration.
Focus & Follow-ThroughFrom completing concrete jobs with visual cues to organizing work, prioritizing tasks, seeking clarification, and managing effort independently.
TK
Needs clear visual cues and adult support; succeeds with concrete jobs.
Example: Completes a helper job with a visual checklist or cleans up after the teacher points to the cleanup chart.
K
Begins following routines more independently, with reminders.
Example: Puts a backpack away after reminders or returns to circle after redirection.
1st
Focuses for longer stretches but may need encouragement; stamina is developing.
Example: Completes work with mid-task encouragement or listens during a read-aloud but occasionally loses focus.
2nd
Completes multi-step tasks with fewer reminders.
Example: Follows steps for a science project with one check-in or reads independently for 15–20 minutes before needing support.
3rd
Shows independence in routines and transitions, with growing persistence.
Example: Transitions from recess with minimal reminders or gathers needed supplies without forgetting items most of the time.
4th
Manages tasks with energy; beginning to prioritize and advocate for help when overloaded.
Example: Recognizes fading attention, requests a short break, returns to work, or chooses an urgent task first with a teacher prompt.
5th
Independently organizes and completes work; balances effort with self-care such as breaks and clarification.
Example: Brings materials without reminders, tracks due dates, asks for clarification, and uses a reset before returning to work.
Preparedness & PerseveranceFrom following simple routines with adult support to independently preparing, persisting, seeking resources, and advocating for what is needed to keep moving forward.
TK
Begins following simple routines with adult support; early practice in persistence.
Example: Puts toys away with teacher guidance or follows a simple direction such as lining up at the door.
K
Handles routines with reminders; growing independence in preparation.
Example: Lines up for recess with reminders or puts a folder in a backpack after a teacher prompt.
1st
Persists through small challenges with encouragement; routines becoming familiar.
Example: Keeps trying to zip a coat or stays with a puzzle with teacher encouragement.
2nd
Shows readiness with fewer reminders; beginning independent perseverance.
Example: Gets out needed materials without being told or begins preparing independently for a familiar routine.
3rd
Works through setbacks using emerging strategies, with some guidance.
Example: Stays with a difficult problem after encouragement or rereads directions when stuck.
4th
Initiates work and uses strategies such as breaking tasks into steps; asks for checkpoints or support when needed.
Example: Starts a project independently, asks for a checkpoint, breaks a task into parts, or resets and continues.
5th
Consistently prepares and perseveres through challenges using strategies and self-advocacy.
Example: Keeps working after major feedback, seeks resources or clarification, and uses planning, breaks, or rereading directions to persist.
The Bigger Goal
Knowing Yourself Well Enough to Keep Growing
By Upper Elementary, children increasingly set goals, reflect on progress, talk about strengths and challenges, and know when to persist, ask for help, repair a relationship, or take an appropriate reset.
That growing self-knowledge and independence matter far beyond elementary school.
Elementary at WHPS
See What This Looks Like in the Life of a School
These skills are practiced in classrooms, Morning Meetings, friendships, group work, goal-setting, reflection, and everyday moments across the school day.